Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-06-22
THE BOOK OF MoRNiONs.
A New Story of the Origin OF the
Mormon's Bible.

MOfnOnS = DtDlc.
The recent conference of the Joseph
ties. or homogeneous MOrmons, at hlrt.
land. Ohio. and the extended reports OF
their proceedings, says correspondent,
has renewed public interest in the
peculiar faith to which members OF this
church subscribe. The origin of the
Book of Mormons has never been estab-
lished. The latter-Day Saints, of course,
accent the statements of Joe Smith, and
believe it to be an inspired work. The
general pub however, are hardly as
credulous and regard the alleged bible
as a fraud-the work of some clever
romancist rather than as the translation
of hieroglyphics on golden plates by a
nineteenth century profit. The Spauld-
ing theory, with which every one at all
acquainted with the subject is familiar,
has the most advocates. They hold
that Spaulding's manuscript OF ms
romance. 1.-The Manuscript Found. y
fell into the hands of Joe Smith, Sidney
Riglon and Others, and from that fancl-
ful work was constructed the Book of
MOrInons. If this theory be true, IL
will astonish orthodox church people to
learn that Congregational divine, one OF
the foremost of his time in New Eng
land. is responsible for the introduction
of the twin relic of barbarism," " as the
Utah Church has been called, in this
country.
Rev. Ethan Smith. who died at an
advanced age early in the ''fOrties, . was
one of the lights in the Congregational
Church in New England. \ man of
deep learning, he was at once preacher,
author and philosopher, holding to many
ideas far in advance Of his time. one
of his pet hobbies was the belief that
the North American Indians were des-
cended from the lost tribes of Israel,
who came over to this continent several
hundred wears before Christ, built great
cities and reached a very high state OF
civilization.
Rev. DR.. Smith wrote a work on the
subject. which after completion he
decided not to publish, fearing that 1t
might injure his reputation as theo-
logical writer. This book was an
elaboration of the theory DIR. Smith had
so long maintained. Taking as Its
foundation the migration of the lost
tribes of Israel to the western continent,
il described the hegira from Palestine,
the establishments of the jews in what
is now Central America and Mexico,
the founding of a great empire, and It's
gradual decline and fall. 1t told OF
magnificent cities inhabited by an en-
lightened and Christian people. The
fg,Y. fhnnn n civil
ization equal to that of Egypt or Jeru-
salem. Hundreds of years passed and
the history of ale eastern Jews was
repeated on the western continent.
OuarrelS between the various tribes
sprang up, bloody wars were waged and
the process Of diSintegration began.
Gradually the people were scattered,
their cities destroyed and all semblance
10 nation was lost. Thousands per-
ished by peStilence and the sword, and
the remnants of a once mighty nation
relapSed into a state of barbaTlSm.
From them their descendants, DIR.
Smith claimed. were the Indians of
North America and the Aztec OF |
Mexico. This is almost exactly similar |
to the story told in the Book of Nor |
mons.
solomon Spaulding was a warm
admirer of DR.. Smith, and when a |
Young man studied under his tuition. |
He became interested in his theories |
the settlement of America, |
and in return DR.. Smith took the young |
student into his confidence and granted |
lim peruSal of his unpublished book.
Spaulding was deeply impressed with
he truth of this theory and pursued his
even farther than DIR. |
Smith had yentured. Taking tine lat
ter's views, as expressed in his book,
Spaulding some years later wrote his
famous Manuscript Found" which !
afterward fell into the hands of Joe
Smith. and was reconstructed into the |
Book of Mormon. Indeed it is not at |
all unlikely that DR.. Smiths original |
which, it is said, Spaulding |
had in his possession, suffered similar |
fate. At any rate it has never been |
seen since. These facts are told your |
correspondent by a grandson of DR.. |
Smith. now residing in this city. He |
states that the Book Of MOrmonSn
differs very slightly. as far as its general |
outline is concerned, from the historical /
romance written 10y his grandfather !
sixty or seventy years ago, and he is
quite certain that the Mormon faith is |
founded on the production of that |
worthy PASTORS fertile imagination.